Why Was HBO Max’s ‘Gossip Woman’ Reboot Canceled?

Primarily based on the YA novels by Cecily von Ziegesar, the CW’s drama collection Gossip Girl was like a puzzle within the mid-2000s, as viewers desperately tried to determine the identification of its nameless antagonist: Gossip Woman. All through the present’s six seasons, Gossip Woman works laborious to make the lives of wealthy Higher East Facet teenagers depressing, routinely exploiting their secrets and techniques on a sadistic weblog.

The unique present — which stars Penn Badgley (You) and Blake Energetic (The Shallows), amongst others — acquired the reboot therapy in 2021. From creator Josh Safran, who served as a author and government producer on the OG collection, HBO Max’s Gossip Girl follows a brand new era of New York non-public faculty teenagers as they expertise the wrath of Gossip Woman by way of fashionable social media.

It was introduced on Jan. 19, 2023, that HBO Max won’t be shifting ahead with a 3rd season of Gossip Woman. So, why was the extremely anticipated reboot canceled? That is a secret we’ll by no means inform. Simply kidding. Maintain studying to seek out out!

“We’re very grateful to showrunner/government producer Joshua Safran, and government producers Stephanie Savage and Josh Schwartz for bringing us again to the Higher East Facet and all of the scandals at Constance Billard,” a press release launched by HBO Max reads.

“Though we’re not shifting ahead with a 3rd season of Gossip Woman, we thank them for the engaging love triangles, calculated backstabbing and impeccable vogue this collection dropped at a brand new viewers.”

Although the revival began off sturdy in July 2021, “setting a report as HBO Max’s most-watched opening weekend for an unique collection on the time,” per Deadline, viewers misplaced curiosity by the point the second season hit the streamer.

Based on the publication, HBO Max has been engaged on cost-cutting for the final six or so months. Nonetheless, Gossip Woman getting the ax might don’t have anything to do with this.

Deadline wrote that the cancellation is probably going “a results of the present not having the ability to escape the best way HBO Max’s revival of one other YA collection, Fairly Little Liars, has finished.” This appears to be extra of a hypothesis than a truth.

In an interview with Vanity Fair, Josh Safran opened up concerning the devastating information, revealing that prices had been a issue. Ah, so cash does have one thing to do with the Gossip Woman cancellation. It at all times does, does not it?

“This present is extremely costly. ‘It takes some huge cash to look this good,'” he started.

“And so it actually would’ve needed to have gotten House of the Dragon numbers or Last of Us numbers and there simply aren’t exhibits like Gossip Woman that get these numbers,” Josh continued.

Although evaluating Gossip Woman to different exhibits does not appear productive, we perceive the frantic seek for reasoning.

There’s some hope that Josh and his staff will discover the present one other streamer, as he wrote in a statement that they “are at present on the lookout for one other dwelling.” Nonetheless, he feels that this may increasingly fail. Josh Safran appears to be a bona fide realist.

“On this local weather, which may show an uphill battle, and so if that is the top, a minimum of we went out on the very best of highs. Thanks all for watching, and I hope you’ll tune into the finale subsequent Thursday to see the way it all comes collectively. xoxo,” he wrote.

You may watch Seasons 1 and a couple of of Gossip Woman now on HBO Max, with the Season 2 finale (and collection finale) dropping on Jan. 26.